A20762:1015
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. Sect. 3 That we ought to sanctify the creatures to our use by prayer and thanksgiving.
§. Sect. 3 That we ought to sanctifie the creatures to our vse by prayer and thanksgiuing.
But howsoever it is necessary that we be always in this state of Christian liberty, and have the knowledge and acknowledgement of it habitually in us; yet not that we should, every time we eat, particularly meditate of ⟨p. 281⟩all these things; only it is sufficient, that having this Charter of our liberty in our keeping, we bring it out as oft as we have occasion, especially when our right unto the creatures is called into question, either by the devil, the world or our own flesh. And that acknowledging God to be the Author of all these blessings which we receive, who not only giveth them unto us, but also all their virtue and power, whereby they become effectual for our nourishment, we do take them not chiefly as our own provision, but at his hands as his gracious gifts, which cannot nourish us by their own virtue, but as he enableth them hereunto by his blessing. In which regard it is necessary, that before we receive the creatures, we do in the next place sanctify them unto our use by prayer and thanksgiving, craving Gods blessing upon our meats and drinks, that being thereby made effectual for our nourishment, we may in the strength of them do him more diligent and faithful service. For to this end God 1hath created our meats and drinks, that they should be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth, as the Apostle teacheth us, seeing every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. And this hath been the practice of the faithful in all ages. So we read that the people would not eat before Samuel came, because he did first bless the sacrifice, and afterwards they did eat that were bidden. And the Apostle